Or maybe they defend the way the game is right now because they LIKE the way the game is right now and if Blizzard were to listen to the complainers it would make the game shitter rather than better.

Both consumer and business can't ever be content with their standings. Blizzard is closing in on the margin of what they can get away with charging. Likewise the consumer should be pushing the business to what the consumer wants.

Ultimately a business would prefer to recieve money from consumers with minimum effort.
And the consumer would prefer to recieve the product or service with minimum payment.

We're seeing an opposite mentallity from WoW subscribers here who preach about how fair and just Blizzard is behaving.
You should never be thinking "this is fair" but more "what else can I get out of them?"
It works both ways.

Both consumer and business can't ever be content with their standings. Blizzard is closing in on the margin of what they can get away with charging. Likewise the consumer should be pushing the business to what the consumer wants.

Ultimately a business would prefer to recieve money from consumers with minimum effort.
And the consumer would prefer to recieve the product or service with minimum payment.

We're seeing an opposite mentallity from WoW subscribers here who preach about how fair and just Blizzard is behaving.
You should never be thinking "this is fair" but more "what else can I get out of them?"
It works both ways.

The whole move to casualization was to cultivate the kind of player that would spend money in a cash shop. Its funny how when it actually happens people are surprised. Blizzard stopped trying to make a good game about half way through lich king and has since been just trying to find ways to make more money off their IP. People were all in favor of it when it meant easy heroics, LFR, and free epics, but somehow new player models for cash crosses the line? Its funny how people wholly digested the propaganda about all these cash grab moves being good for the game, when they had been lead to believe it was in their favor, and have defended them as such for years, but now the end game becomes apparent.

A wide audience with not a lot of time, obsessed with accessibility = cash shop revenue in the making

just think of all the resources your cash for models will create, and the resulting content! no way its just going into someone's pocket with no return in regards to game development

which is exactly why the LFR making raiding possible is so disingenuous, people pretend since GC said LFR means they can develop raids better, that its true. Pretty sure the best raids were developed before LFR and any subscriber money LFR brought in just went into someone's bank account. They don't realize that its GC's job to sell them things, and they've just internalized his form of marketing

It might not be an advantage, but it can't be compared to the transmogables or mounts/pets either. If you don't want to spend money on the helmets, then you still have a big variety of other head pieces that look good - same with mounts and pets. But with the caracter model you'll have the choice of either pay money and get a model with fixed graphics, or not being able (or willing) to do so and be stuck with a character that looks like it was made out of taped-together shoeboxes. And playing a race that you dislike, but has a better looking model, doesn't sound like an option many people would take.

If the OP actually spent time in game he would notice that updated character models already exists and the newer playable races such as the pandaren and goblins are already 'updated' high poly models. This isn't something Blizzard charges extra for, they have been updating the game's visual aesthetics over several years now, including character models. Evolving a game aesthetics does not equal a vanity pet or a helm. Besides, why so eager to hand over more money for nothing, they are already shamelessly double dipping with their cash shop.

Both consumer and business can't ever be content with their standings. Blizzard is closing in on the margin of what they can get away with charging. Likewise the consumer should be pushing the business to what the consumer wants.

Ultimately a business would prefer to recieve money from consumers with minimum effort.
And the consumer would prefer to recieve the product or service with minimum payment.

We're seeing an opposite mentallity from WoW subscribers here who preach about how fair and just Blizzard is behaving.
You should never be thinking "this is fair" but more "what else can I get out of them?"
It works both ways.

Don't you think Blizzard also asks what is fair? They could quite easily get away with charging more than they do.

I do understand what you mean. But the equilibrium of price between buyer and seller is more complex than that. I mean if someone came on the forums saying that Blizzard should charge $14 a month instead of $15... I'd say what difference does $1 make? I consider WoW to be more than reasonably priced as it is and don't have a strong interest in making it cheaper. The central point is, both parties try to arrive at what they consider a fair price.

New character models means new animations as well and they are not gonna keep updating animations for different versions of the same type of character model. So, it would not only be a clash of aesthetics, which Blizzard wouldn't allow, but it would be bad business sense as well.

New character models means new animations as well and they are not gonna keep updating animations for different versions of the same type of character model. So, it would not only be a clash of aesthetics, which Blizzard wouldn't allow, but it would be bad business sense as well.

They've already said they're looking into allowing folks to opt for old models if they wish.

Benevolence is a luxury for the strong - Wrathion
Plox. I got your plox right fucking here. - Animalhouse
I still prefer seeing Thrall rather than blood in my urine, that doesnt make him a good character. - Verdugo

I think the new Troll/Orc models were well received, yes? They will never be able to please EVERYONE but I think they did a good job keeping them mostly the same, just improved the poly count, textures and animations.

This isn't actually a bad idea, because only the people who WANT to have the new models for their toons can pick and choose which one. Everyone wins.

For example, I like my hunchback orc so wouldn't pay to have him updated, but I would definitely pay $15-25 dollars to have my human warrior updated with a new model. There's really no reason why Blizz SHOULDN'T do this. They make tons of money and only the people who want their toon to look different will purchase. Thoughts?

We have to pay for character model updates? Seriously?
I said in a past thread that I have a lot of respect for Blizzard, but with the sudden surge of cash money things - helms, in-game shop, and now char models - I'm losing respect and fast.

I'll continue to play because I enjoy the game itself - I enjoy questing, exploring, levelling, dungeoning - everything in-game. But outside of the game, when money gets involved, things are getting a bit odd.

Having said that, Blizzard have said for a long time that they're hesitant to change character models because not everyone will want them, and I totally understood that. There's a chance people won't like the new models because they're unfamiliar, or because they simply don't want to change from what they know and love. In a way, buying new models will give every individual the choice. I don't mind how Blood Elves look, so I wouldn't change them, and I'm not fussed about Orcs, either, but I would love to change my undead. Specifically buying them will doubtlessly destroy my bank account (so I expect I'll buy one new model every few months so I can eat) but it does give me the choice.

I suppose, after saying all this, I've changed my stand-point. I don't like how much they're making purchase-only, but making character model updates purchase-only does have more positives than negatives. The only problem I can really see is if someone with no money for these things has desperately wanted to change the way their main looks. But as has already been said, these are not game-defining changes. The second useful gear is sold for money, I may re-evaluate my playing.

Won't happen. Quit assuming everything will be in the shop only, it won't, and you are an idiot if you think Blizzard are that stupid.

Blizzard will still profit from character models, just not from selling them but by race / faction changes. Funny how people won't pay for a model but would pay for a race change, lol.

Can we please just have these shit threads locked? It's spreading false information and feeding the whole "Blizzard are selling everything from now on" craze where there is zero evidence to suggest it's going to happen, 3 transmog helms is nothing.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by Daeaye

We have to pay for character model updates? Seriously?
I said in a past thread that I have a lot of respect for Blizzard, but with the sudden surge of cash money things - helms, in-game shop, and now char models - I'm losing respect and fast.